Pupils from two primary schools in the Upper Rhymney Valley have visited London as part of the Heddlu Bach (Mini Police Officers) scheme.
Pupils and staff from Fochriw and Phillipstown Primary Schools paid a visit New Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan Police horse stables.
The trip also saw the pupils meet Authorised Firearms Officers on protection duty.
The children, aged between nine and 11, met with Gerald Jones MP on the House of Commons terrace for afternoon tea, before being treated to an official guided tour of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster.
Gerald Jones MP said: “The Heddlu Bach scheme is a great opportunity for these young people to make a difference in our community, learn about what it’s like to be a police officer and educate their fellow pupils on a range of issues, such as antisocial behaviour.”
The pupils were joined on the trip, which took place last month, by members of the local neighbourhood policing team for Caerphilly North – PSCO Rachel Pearce, PSCO Jess Mahoney, PC Paul Broad and Sgt Emma Sowrey.
Launched in primary schools across the Upper Rhymney Valley by Gwent Police, the Heddlu Bach scheme aims to give schoolchildren an insight into how the police operate.
Cllr Philippa Marsden, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Achievement, said: “This initiative is a great way of building trust and confidence in the police from a young age by directly involving and engaging with children in the communities the police serve.”